Ver.4. The leafl Appearances o Grace, &c. 317 RULE X. The Tenth Rule. Duly improve the leafs Appearances sf God in a way ofGraceor Pardon. Ifyou would come to (lability, and a comforting perfwafion The leafft ()fan Interest in forgiveness by the Blood ofChritt,improve theleaff Appearan- Appearances of him untoyour fuuls, and the leaf$ Intimations of bit Gces of race Love in Pardon, that are made untoyou in the way of God. The be im to - Spovfe takesnotice ofher Husband, and rejoyceth in hire, when proved. he ftands behind the wall, when he doth but look forth at the window, andPhew himfelf at the lattice, when the could have no clear fight of him, Cant. 2. 9. She lays holdon the leaf Ap- pearanceof him to fupport her heart withal), and to fir up her Atfedions towards him. Men in dangers donot fit (till to wait until fomething presents it felfunto them that will give affured deliverance; but they clofe with that which firft prefnts it fell unto them, that is of the fame find and nature with what they look-after. And thus God doth in many places expreCs fuch fupportments as give` the foul little more than apofbilityofat- taining the End aimed at. As Zeph. 2.. 3. It way be ye (hall be bid in the day of the Lords Anger. And Joel 2. 14. Who know- er!" but he will return and leave a bleptng. It may be we thall be hid ; it may be we (hall have a biding. And this was the bell ground that Jonathan had for the great undertaking agairtl the Enemies of God, i Sam. 14. 6. It may be God will go along with Ps. And to what end doth God at any time make thtfe feem- ingly dubious 'intimations of Grace and Mercy ? is it that we Mould by the difficulty included in them, be difcouraged and kept fromhim ? not at all ; he fpeaks nothing to deterfingers, especially dif1refed finners, from trufling in him. But his End is that we thould clofe with, and lay hold upon, and im- prove the leaf Appearances ofGrace, which this kind ofexpref- fions do give unto us. When men are in a voyage at Sea, and meet with a Storm or a Tempetl which abides upon them, and they fear will at hit prevail againtl them ; if they make fo far a difcovery ofLand, as that theycan fay, it may be there is S: z Lard,
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